Harding says Zimmer wasn't the first to qualify for Citizens' Election Program grant

By Scott Benjamin

BROOKFIELD – State Senate Republican Leader Stephen Harding contends that his Democratic challenger in the 30^th District, Aaron Zimmer, recently distributed an erroneous news release that stated Zimmer was the first of the candidates to qualify for a state Citizens’ Elections Program grant.

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Zimmer of Brookfield wrote in the news release, which was distributed June 1, that “his state Senate campaign has qualified for Connecticut’s landmark Citizens’ Election Program before incumbent Stephen Harding, a major milestone that demonstrates strong grassroots support and growing momentum.”

Harding of Brookfield said in a phone interview with Patch.com that he qualified well before he captured the Republican convention nomination on May 19.

When contacted by Patch.com, Zimmer said, “That is good to know. We will update our news release.”

Harding claims that Zimmer employed similar tactics in 2024 when he lost in his bid to unseat Republican state Rep. Marty Foncello of Brookfield in the 107^th state House District.

To earn the grant of $131,5000, a candidate has to collect $20,100 in small contributions contributions from 300 district residents.

Harding said many candidates seek to reach the threshold before the start of summer. He held a major fund-raiser in New Milford on February 12 that provided an early boost.

“You can focus on raising money only through the beginning of the campaign and then devote the rest of the race to messaging and policy,” Harding said.

Added Zimmer, “It allows anyone who can generate some grassroots support to be able to run a campaign and be competitive. It levels the playing field.”

Former Gov. M. Jodi Rell (R-Brookfield) signed the legislation in 2005. Connecticut became only the third state to have such a system. The other two – Arizona and Maine – had adopted it as a result of citizen referendum initiatives and not through the direct act of elected officials.

State Rep. Bob Godfrey (D-110) of Danbury, who was initially elected in 1988, has said that probably 80 percent of the candidates would tell you that the most distasteful thing they have to do each campaign is ask for money.

Zimmer exclaimed, “Getting there is unpleasant for the candidates and the people on the receiving end. People are inundated with texts and e-mails asking them for money. It is overwhelming.”

Harding said it has reduced the influence of special interests, since the qualifying money is raised within the district.

He is seeking his third term in the sprawling district, which stretches from near Brookfield Town Center to the Massachusetts border. There are 18 municipalities in what is the largest state Senate district geographically.

Harding initially was elected to the General Assembly in a 2015 special election in the 107^th state House District.

He became the GOP Senate leader in February 2024 and recently gave the nominating speech at the state party convention for gubernatorial candidate Ryan Fazio, a state senator from Greenwich.

No Democrat has won in the 30^th District since Litchfield attorney Joe Ruggiero in 1978.

As Brookfield Democratic Town Committee chairman in 2023, Zimmer managed the party’s victory in the municipal election as he secured a permanent campaign headquarters on Federal Road.

Two years ago he rode a motor scooter as he canvassed neighborhoods in the 107^th state House District, which includes all of Brookfield, the Hawleyville section of Newtown and the Stony Hill portion of Bethel.